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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:06 PM  
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mkingdon
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The Florida, Fringes and Other F Words Tour 2009 Day Fifteen

Previously on this tour...

Pre Trip Ramblings
Introduction
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Day Six
Day Seven
Day Eight
Day Nine
Day Ten
Day Eleven
Day Twelve
Day Thirteen
Day Fourteen


Day Fifteen – Sunday 6th September 2009


Well, dear reader, as those legendary pop stars, Michael Jackson and Dannii Minogue once said, This is it! The end.

The day starts at 7.30, and begins with the usual manic packing session, wondering how the villa has grown all this extra stuff we now have to get home. Just when you think you are getting close to being able to shut the cases, more “stuff” appears.

Ryan is readied for the journey home.



It takes a while, but eventually, full, closed cases start to appear by the front door.



Bart is in the one on the right!

If we thought getting all our stuff into the cases was tricky, this was nothing compared with the job of getting everything, and everyone in the car. I volunteered to stay, in order to make room for more luggage, but as I was driving it appeared that wasn't an option.



The bin bag has the penguin in it, not the decomposing body of someone who wouldn't move all the way to the end of the row!

It is around 9.30, when I lock the villa doors for the final time, and give that whistful look over the shoulder as I walk to the car. We head for LBV via the I4 and are soon parking up opposite the Virgin check in thing. I am amazed to find there is no queue at all, and within minutes the bags are gone, and I only have Ryan to carry. Due to the luggage overload situation, he does weigh about 19kg today.

I fear he isn't the only one returning home heavier than when he arrived. Not me of course, and I did warn everyone that their over eating would lead to no good!

We drive away, and park a little closer to the AMC cinema, and we wander around in search of some breakfast. This sounds a lot easier than it actually was.

As you can see here, Grandad is bamboozled by the lack of dining options, and Emily is about to inflict actual bodily harm if someone doesn't get her some food in the next ten seconds.



We force the girls to look almost happy for a rare “posed” photo.



For those on “hair watch” compare Emily's red to when we set off...



You can compare mine too, but I don't think much has happened in two weeks!

We end up walking all the way to the Marketplace, getting a nice sweat on, and dining in the renowned gastronomic delight that is McDonalds. We arrive at 10.31, just in time to see the breakfast menu finishing, and end up ordering a sort of lunchy, brunch thing.

I have a McDonalds chocolate shake for the first time in years, and am astounded by how delicious these things are. I had totally forgotten! Never mind the fact that they contain wood shavings, and a week's calories... very yummy.

Our entire holiday is complete to find a Chuckle Brother only a few tables away.



Feeling nice and full, for a change, we split up again, as we plan to avoid the searting heat by seeing a film. Mum has more shopping in her yet, so we arrange to meet up later.



Emily is human once again, having been supplied with around ten thousand calories.

Ryan's weight is nearing mine, and I'll be very happy at this point to sit in a cool cinema for a while, without him on my back. After walking all the way back to the cinema by 11.30, we find that the film we want (I say want...that may be a little strong), Aliens in the Attack, isn't on until 12.40. We buy the tickets and start to wander the shops.

Ryan's weight is a big problem, much like my own, but I don't let it show outwardly at all.



We spot the balloon thing



However, Louise is more likely to request the lycra suit than get in that thing.

Rebecca has developed unbearable blisters all over her feet (with hours to go), and we have to search out and buy a pair of flip flops, (and stuff her shoes into Ryan, which is fine, honestly), so we do that at Planet Hollywood, and she once again can walk.

We loiter in various shops, avoiding the incredible heat, and then have a seat under Gloria's bongos. Impressive!

The realisation of where we are going later is starting to kick in.



We enter the cinema at 12.30, and the girls, not yet full it seems, order a slush each.



We are in Screen 24, so we set off on the thirty minute walk to find it, seeing this on the way.



We settle in for the film, which is OK, and passes the time nicely.

We leave at 2.15, and meet up with Mum & Dad on a bench opposite the AMC. We sit and chat for a few minutes, and are then accosted, sorry, I mean approached very politely by a Dibber. This is the second time we've been recognised in Florida now, and I have to say I find it very, very weird.

JMT is said Dibber, and we have a lovely chat about all things Dibb, Disney and our holidays. Every single Dibber I have ever met has been truly lovely, and JMT is no exception.

We say our goodbyes, and head down to the House of Blues for a drink before leaving for the airport. At around 3pm, we ruefully head for the car, and drive to the airport. We have a mild panic about the upcoming tolls as change is in very short supply, but with a combination of dimes, quarters, the odd peseta, and a couple of buttons we make it through.

The car is soon abandoned, and we make our way to security.



We wait in a lovely queue to get through security. Our last monorail ride takes out to the correct terminal, where we take a seat and begin the waiting.





As you can see, most of us have donned the correct clothing for the arctic blasts of Manchester, but Rebecca intends to arrive back in flip flops and shorts.

Louise and I do some duty free shopping, and then it is time for the four of us to head for our gate. Mum & Dad couldn't get on our flight coming home, so we say our goodbyes at this stage.

It is here, I'm afraid that my notes end, along with my will to live, at the thought of returning home.

From memory, the flight felt long and uncomfortable, with none of us getting any sleep. I watched Angels and Demons, and counted down the last three hours of the flight minute by minute.

Collecting the luggage was the usual joyous experience but at least we had our own car to collect rather than have to phone a taxi driver who should be waiting at arrivals to find he is still in bed.

Once home, we head to bed for a few hours, and begin the process of getting back to reality.

So there we are. The end of another trip, and also the end of a decade of Disney. As I think I said at the beginning, this year is the tenth anniversary of the first trip as a family, and we have had some wonderful times, some lovely memories, and spent a whole load of money. If you are a Disney shareholder, I will receive your letters of thanks now.

I often wonder why we, (mostly I) find this type of holiday so addicitive, and satisfying, but I can't write down an answer if I'm honest.

I really don't want to get into one of my usual melodramatic pieces about the girls here, as these things are becoming a bit “X Factor” in terms of wheeling out the sad bit on cue, but Disney sells memories, and I've bought a load.

The girls are growing up (you might have noticed), and things are changing, as evidenced by Emily acquiring her first boyfriend recently, and I wonder what the future holds for them.

As long as they are happy I don't really care that much, but if Emily's boyfriend reads this, I do care about your behaviour young chap... I'll be watching!

So having experienced Florida with the girls from the ages of two to fourteen, when is the best time to take your kids? Every time! Start worrying about it when you can't take them, not when you should. Each trip has been different, and wonderful and each one has given us some new experiences (unfortunately accompianied by the same jokes), and I'm grateful for that.

Why the major retrospective now? Well, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that we aren't going next year, regular readers will know that this is almost a tradition, followed by an announcement that we've booked again about three weeks later. However, I will say that it looks highly unlikely at this point, so I'll say what all good Dads say... we'll see!

A big personal thank you to Louise and the girls for their enormous patience on these trips, and for letting me decide where to go on holiday every year!

I apologise to the future husbands of my girls, as they will have to fund Florida holidays each year, to ensure they are kept in the manner to which they have been accustomed/brain washed. Also, please note, I shall be tagging along too. I am already practising my Grandad-isms.

One thing we all say as we land in Florida each year though, is welcome home. That is how it feels to us, and for that reason, we'll be back, as soon as we can.

For now, as Mr Buble once said, I want to go home...


Another aeroplane, we're on our way again,
We're lucky I know, that we get to go home.

Ten years have flown right by, girls grown before my eyes,
It's all they have known, that's why its their home, we love to go home.

And I've been writing all these trippies through the years for you,
Each one a joy to do, with the same jokes, yes that's true.
And when I read them now, I wonder where those years have flown,
My words just bring them back, and you can't ask for more than that,

So many sunny days, we've had our share of rain,
At Christmas, false snow, I've sunburnt my dome, and I want to go home.

Let me go home
It might be too far, but I'd get there by car,
Just to get home.

And I know at times, the jokes I make about my wife,
They make her just raise her eyes, the Vagisil one wasn't right!
And I know each year I've made her come along with me,
This was not her dream, but she always puts up with me.

Ten years of holidays have come and gone away,
I guess we couldn't have known, it would feel like our home, we've enjoyed it, you know.

And now I've shared the ride, with trippies every time,
The jokes make you groan, you're not alone, we love to go home.

Let me go home
We've had a good run, for now though, we're done
I guess we can't moan
Let me go home
It'll all be alright, I'm still checking flights,
To take us back home.


Thanks for reading, commenting on and tolerating these ramblings.

All the best to you from myself, Louise, Emily and Rebecca (not forgetting Ryan).

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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:33 PM  
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JIMSCOT
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thank you

And once again a wonderful trippie.
just done my 1st grandad trip great fun. hope to read another next year, so get to work. you need the cash
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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:35 PM  
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why is it that i read this final day and have tears in my eye?

Hopefully some other dibbers are feeling the same1

A great fantastic brilliant report as ever!

Thanks to the Williams family!
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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:36 PM  
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Cinnabon
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Fantastic.
Please please dont stop going, we have loved each and every installment along the way.
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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:37 PM  
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I felt the same too, I had tears in the old eyes! Brilliant end to the report!

Hope you get to go next year!
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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:38 PM  
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the last day is always so sad and today is no exception. Thanks for the reports, we were there at the exact same time as you, and it has been interesting to compare our trips.
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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:42 PM  
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Another brilliant Trip Report Craig, enjoyed reading every sentence of it.
Fingers crossed we will have one to read next year.

BTW was that really one of the Chuckle brothers?
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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:42 PM  
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Thank you Craig for hours of laughter your trippies get better every year!

Fingers crossed the 'not next year' quote doesn't come true.

I'm sure Ryans looking forward to the rest and he looks like he may need a little surgery before the next trip
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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:44 PM  
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I've read through the whole of this trip report as you have written it and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Yet again you made me laugh out loud and I must confess get a bit emotional at the end! Here's looking forward to you booking the next one so we have another trippie to read.
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Old 31 Oct 09, 01:52 PM  
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OMG thank you soooo much for taking the time to write these, even if they are a momento for yourself and your family they are such an inspiration to everyone who reads them I'm sure.
I found out last night just how good it is to re read my own ( excruciatingly dull by comparison ) trippy as it brings back so many small details that are easily forgotten.

And I LOVE your version of HOME
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